New Zealand Applicants

Applying for Registration

To practice as an osteopath in New Zealand you must be registered with the Osteopathic Council. You must also have a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

Please allow a minimum of 5 - 7 working days for the Council to process a fully completed application for registration, or for your APC. Note that the fee for registration is a one-off fee, but the APC must be paid for on an annual basis. The APC year runs from 1 April to 31 March of the next year.

You may apply for registration only if:

You have a Master of Osteopathy, conferred by Unitec Te Whare Wananga o Wairaka; OR

You have passed the OCNZ qualifications assessment process; OR

You are registered with an equivalent Australian registration authority.

The Osteopathic Council does not, at present, recognise any other New Zealand qualification.

If you have an osteopathic qualification gained in any country other than New Zealand or Australia and are interested in working in New Zealand, you will have to apply to OCNZ for assessment of your qulifications and competence.

Applicants holding NZ qualifications

Applicants who have a Master of Osteopathy conferred by Unitec should complete:

Consent to Disclose Information

You must complete a consent to disclosure form. The information on the form is used to perform a search using the New Zealand Police electronic vetting services.

For practitioners applying from overseas they must provide a certified police report from the country of residence. The certified report must be no older than six months at the time the application for registration is submitted.

A certified copy is a copy of the original that has been certified by a solicitor or notary public.

Please note that registration is not automatically granted. The Osteopathic Council must be confident that you are competent and fit for registration. The information you give us in your application form will assist the Council in our decision-making process.